What's in a Name?
by Blitzindite
Summary: Marvin had just received his name yesterday, and the Septics had all celebrated with drinks and the magician's favorite foods. Central had literally been beaming the entire time; every light within it just a little brighter than usual, with any Marvin happened to walk beneath brightening just that much more.


**Warnings:** _Language_  
 **AN:** _I love the friendship between Marvin and Central, okay? ;;_  
 _It's just so much fun to write, and I needed something cute_

* * *

For as long as it had existed, Ego Central stood tall and proud within its own little area of the Egos' dimensional plane. Anti and Jackieboy were the first in its halls. It kept quiet for some time when it was just those two. They had no idea the building was alive. They had no idea it was looking out for them; that it kept unwanted Figments from entering its halls by simply holding its own doors and windows shut with any attempt or literally throwing the unwanted out when they _did_ manage to get in.

It wasn't until Marvin came along as a then-nameless magician that Central made itself known. It began flickering its lights, creaking its floorboards and ceiling beams. It would shift its hallways with no warning; throwing one of the three into a completely different part of the building than their intended destination, or moving the doorways to their bedrooms into the floor or ceiling.

It couldn't speak, and that was the only way it knew to communicate, after all.

Marvin had been the first to make contact. He'd smiled as he'd pressed his fingertips to the living room wall. His eyes had closed behind his mask as he just _listened_ with Anti and Jackie looking on with wide eyes.

"It's callin' me Cat!" he'd laughed for the first time since meeting the other Septics, while they could only exchange glances.

Back then, Marvin had still been young and with no self-confidence. He didn't even have a name for a long time, but that nickname sure did seem to help. He'd smiled more often, grew more confident with his magic, even sassed Anti for the first time once he was two months old!

Central watched Marvin become fast friends with Jackieboy and Wilford; cast its lights toward the madman the first time he set foot in its halls. Will had only grinned wide, finger-gunned at the light, and continued on his way to compete with Marvin over who had the better magic.

During the first many months of its existence, Central didn't think it was possible for an Ego to befriend a building. Marvin ended up proving it sorely wrong—not that it would complain even if it could.

* * *

Marvin's dress shoes clicked softly against the polished wood of one of Central's many winding hallways. He was twirling, cape billowing about him elegantly and mask adding a certain mystery. Marvin had just received his name yesterday, and the Septics had all celebrated with drinks and the magician's favorite foods. Central had literally been beaming the entire time; every light within it just a little brighter than usual, with any Marvin happened to walk beneath brightening just that much more. It had been just over a year ago that Marvin was created; a year of relying on knowing what nickname it would be today—no more.

The magician was grinning wide as he danced in the empty hall; the celebration had been last night, but he was still working off the high.

"A name!" he shouted giddily. "A real name, Cents!" He twirled about, fingers brushing the walls as he grinned up at the light above his head. "Can ya believe it?"

The light flickered, and the magician started laughing. "Yeah, yeah, you can still call me Cat! But _still—_ that-that means Jack sees me as a legit Ego! Ya know how big'a deal that is?"

The floorboards creaked, light brightening just a tad. "Right? Ugh—I-I still can't wrap my head around it!" He stopped dancing and flopped down right where he stood, hands folding behind his head. "Jaysus…a real name…" He smiled as the light dimmed until it was almost off, felt rather than heard as the smooth wood beneath him creaked softly. Central was telling him to look to his right; lights dim to try and contain its excitement.

Marvin propped himself up on his elbows, blinking at the French doors on the wall up near the ceiling.

Those hadn't been there a moment ago.

The magician stood back up and cocked his head slightly to the side. The doors were up high; so high that without a ladder, none of the non-flight-capable Egos would have any way of reaching them. The bottom of them was well above Marvin's head, and they would be easy to miss if you didn't know they were there and passed beneath them.

Hands and eyes glowing with his use of magic, that glow also moving to the bottom of his shoes, Marvin rose up to the doors' level on an invisible platform. He reached out for one of the knobs, but the doors swung open on their own. Well, more like Central opened them, but still.

Magic dissipating as he stepped through the open doorway, Marvin's eyes went wide. The area was empty and outlooked the natural land far beyond that separated the Septics' area of their plane from that of other Figments. "A balcony?" he asked aloud. There was a light on the wall next to the door, and it flickered in response. Marvin looked at it, then stepped toward the railing—polished wood, just like the floors inside, he noticed. "You…you really made this just for me?"

He leaned over the railing to look down the eight-story drop. There were at least another six floors above, but it still seemed so high! He took a step back, yelping as he tripped over something and proceeded to land in a squishy chair. That hadn't been there at first.

"Still designing it?" he asked the building, which responded with an affirming creak. The magician grinned in turn and relaxed into the soft chair beneath him. "I love it! Thanks, Cents."

Hands tucking behind his head, Marvin watched the ceiling of the overhang that would protect the little balcony from the weather. Another creak from the building, and the magician smiled again.

"Yeah, I really like the name. Everyone else thinks it fits, and I agree! What do you think?" Marvin laughed and rolled his head. "Yeah, yeah. But you'll always be a little shithead who never uses real names anyway, Cents."

Squealing when the chair suddenly overturned itself, Marvin found himself on the floor with it on top of him. "Cents!" He was laughing again, placing his hands over his face. "So mature!"

The entire building groaned with its own form of laughter. The Ego pushed the chair of himself and upright once more, then moved to the railing again. "Y'know, you couldn't have picked a better spot for this place. This's the best view of the land you could get!" On the other side of the building, Jackie's city would have been visible; to the south, burned trees from the last time Marvin and Wilford had a "magic battle" that had gone way wrong. But the northeast side? Perfect.

The magician pushed his mask up on his forehead and crossed his arms over the railing. "Seriously Cents. Thank you. I really, really love this." He grinned and patted the railing fondly. "A name, party, _and_ the best fuckin' gift I could ask for? You guys spoil me."


End file.
